Where will your £ go furthest?
Holidays will open up soon, but which country’s the best value...
The good news is that thanks to a strengthening pound, seven out of ten traditional summer holiday hotspots are cheaper this year than they were 12 months ago. That’s according to the Post Office Travel Money’s annual report, revealed exclusively today in the Mail. The report compares the prices of eight staples tourists spend their cash on — including a meal for two, cup of coffee, bottle of beer and suncream. here’s how it pans out . . .
BARGAIN BULGARIA
TOPPING the list once again as the cheapest place for a holiday in europe, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria’s biggest purposebuilt seaside resort, offers sunshine, sandy coves and vibrant beachfront bars, with a bottle of beer costing just 47p. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? Tourism will resume in time for summer, according to the Bulgarian government. easyJet will begin flights from gatwick to Sunny Beach on July 2, with return fares from £59. HIGHLIGHT: A catamaran cruise for dolphinspotting, swimming and sunbathing.
THRIFTY TURKEY
LOCAL prices in the lively beach resort of Marmaris on Turkey’s Turquoise coast have actually risen, but a year-on-year fall in the value of the Turkish lira of almost 29 per cent against sterling will make it cheaper for UK visitors this year. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? The government believes tourism will resume in April. As part of a national Safe Tourism initiative, hotels must have temperature checks for guests and staff, new hygiene standards and better ventilation. HIGHLIGHT: Marmaris’s pretty harbour, crowned by a castle. And don’t leave without experiencing a hammam treatment.
PENNY-WISE PORTUGAL
The best-value eurozone destination, Portugal’s Algarve coast, saw the biggest fall in prices of 13 per cent this year. Many of the region’s four million annual visitors, who come to explore the cliffs, bays and sandy islands, are set to return this year. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? Despite currently being on the Red List, Portugal’s secretary of state for tourism said yesterday that they hoped to welcome British tourists from 17 May. HIGHLIGHT: Faro, the Algarve’s capital, with its Old Town ringed by medieval walls.
COSTA DEL SALE
SPAIN’S famous 93-mile ‘sun coast’ is one of three destinations to show a rise in prices, but it’s still a steal. A three-course meal for two will set you back £41.10, while a bottle of beer is just £2.12. The costa del Sol has something for everyone — theme parks, glamorous nights out and white town charm. Ryanair has return flights from Stansted to Malaga for as little as £39. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? Spain is keen to develop a travel link with the UK even if the EU vaccine passport fails. HIGHLIGHT: espetos, a local delicacy of skewered sardines roasted over wood fires.
COST-EFFECTIVE CYPRUS
PAPHOS on the south-west coast of this sun- soaked Mediterranean island offers dazzling beaches and shimmering blue sea at bargain prices. enjoy a three-course meal for two and bottle of wine for £42.69. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? it’s highly likely. The cypriot government is planning to open its borders to fully vaccinated British tourists from May 1. HIGHLIGHT: A bottle or two of the island’s sweet amber-coloured wine.
MARKED-DOWN MALTA
On MALTA’S east coast, Sliema’s waterfront promenade is packed full of boutiques, b ti b bars and d cafes, f as well as natural rock- cut pools equipped with swimming ladders. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? Tourism association says it’s too early to say. HIGHLIGHT: Take a dip in Balluta Bay, with its backdrop of Art nouveau buildings.
CUT-PRICE CANARIES
The canary islands have maintained the lowest infection rates in Spain. Lanzarote is the cheapest and packs a punch with its beaches, natural pools and water sports. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? The canaries are set to be one of the first Spanish regions to open, as early as May. HIGHLIGHT: The indelible touch of artist césar Manrique on the island’s villages.
COMPETITIVE CROATIA
The ancient town of Porec draws tens of thousands of holidaymakers who come for the vibrant nightlife, Romanesque and baroque architecture and glittering waters. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? croatia is eager to welcome international tourists making it a good bet for a summer break. HIGHLIGHT: The 6th-century euphrasian Basilica in the historic centre of Porec, a UneScO World heritage Site.
GREECE IS THE WORD
ALL eyes are on greece this summer. And corfu, with its vertiginous villages, ancient ruins and sandy coves, is the place to go for an affordable break. Tui will resume holidays to corfu as soon as international tourism is permitted, possibly from May 17. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? highly likely. greece is keen to open to British tourists as soon as possible. HIGHLIGHT: corfu Town for its glorious Venetian architecture.
ITALY’S HEEL STEAL
PUGLIA, the heel on italy’s ‘boot’, offers rocky coves, sandy bays and a coastline peppered with medieval towns. WILL IT BE OPEN THIS SUMMER? it’s unclear. The italian government has said very little. HIGHLIGHT: The little town of Polignano a Mare, perched atop a craggy limestone cliff.